Bio: David S. Addington

David S. Addington

David S. Addington is Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Legal Officer at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Addington provides legal advice and assistance to the NFIB President and staff on matters of corporate governance and operation as well as legal issues relating to legislative, policy, political, and regulatory affairs. In addition, he serves as NFIB Corporate Secretary, manages and monitors all NFIB litigation, and oversees and supports the efforts of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center.

Prior to joining NFIB, Addington was group vice president for research at The Heritage Foundation. He has held senior positions in the federal government, where he served as an assistant general counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency and as special assistant and then deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs at the White House during the Reagan administration. He went on to serve in the Department of Defense as special assistant to the secretary and deputy secretary of defense and then as general counsel during the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Addington later served as counsel and then chief of staff to Vice President Richard B. Cheney. And prior to his work in the executive branch, he served for four congressional committees, as minority staff director, chief counsel, or counsel.

Addington has served in the private sector as well, as senior vice president and general counsel at the American Trucking Associations and as an attorney in private practice working at two of the nation’s leading law firms, Holland & Knight and Baker Donelson.

Addington received a bachelor of science degree in foreign service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a law degree from the Duke University School of Law. He is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Addington is the recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Department of the Army Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, the Department of the Navy Medal for Distinguished Public Service, and the Intelligence Commendation Medal.